2012 will be Team Sahlen’s 9^th ROLEX 24 Hours at Daytona.  In that period of time, the team has Five Top 10 finishes in the 8 year span.  This includes a 4^th place finish in the very 1^st event  entered, 2004.  Through the years the team has seen the highs and lows.  2009 would certainly be the lowest, when the team’s Corvette lost its motor in the 1^st hour of the race.  Highs have included leading the race at the 12 hour mark in 2005, and being in 4^th place with 2 hours to go in 2010.

“We had some bad luck there when we campaigned the Corvettes.  But the RX-8s are very reliable, and it’s up to the drivers and crew of each Mazda team to bring the car home at the end of the twice around the clock event.  The crew has been focusing upon this event ever since the 2011 season ended.  I personally have been working extra hard this year to be prepared.  I have been driving my Simulator game every week.  Plus, despite the Holiday Dinners, I was able to also get back on my excersize program and watch what I have been eating.  And I have dropped about 15 lbs since the end of last year.” – shared Will Nonnamaker, 2005 ROLEX GT Bob Akin Sportsman Winner

For 2012, Team Sahlen will be boasting a 4 driver line-up. Team Sahlen’s newest driver Dane Cameron will be joining the squad for not only the ROLEX 24 Hours, but the full 2012 season.  Dane is no stranger to Mazdas though, having driven RX-8 for 2 seasons already, and capturing 7^th in the 2011 GT Driver Championship.  For his efforts behind the wheel, Dane was honoured by SPEEDTV as the 10^th best driver in the entire ROLEX series for 2011.

An animated Dane Cameron stated  -  “I am very excited for 2012 to get underway officially. The Rolex 24 is always a special event and it's a unique challenge that requires a different approach than any other. I am confident that we have the right strategy and the right people in place to not just finish the 24 but to finish well and start off our Championship charge on the right foot.”  

Dane will be joined in the #42 RX-8 by the Father & Sons duo of Joe, Will & Wayne Nonnamaker.   

“I am excited to have Dane on board with us.  We had a great Test here at Daytona a few weeks ago.  I think we have a great driver line up for the race.  It’s important to focus upon race pace and not the ultimate lap time in practice.  There are a lot of new cars for 2012 that have significant pace.  We have to keep our heads down, run our laps and be around come sunrise on Sunday morning.” – Shared Wayne Nonnamaker, 2011 ROLEX GT Bob Akin Sportsman Winner

What goes on in the pits during a 24 hours is just as important .  Efficient Pit Stops will help keep a car on the lead lap.  This includes expeditious driver changes, error free tire changes and smooth fuel stops.  Additionally, ensuring when and when not to pit is important as well.  And for 2012, Grand American has released some new wave bye rules for GT cars a lap down.  Knowing these rules and how they apply to pit stops will be crucial to staying on the lead lap of the race.

Leading the Pit Stop Strategy will be Team Sahlen Engineer Catherine Crawford Wallace -  “The Rolex 24 for the GT class will have a very different look and feel this year. We have many new makes and a very large and strong field. It will be like a 24 hour sprint as many of the prototype endurance races around the world have become. It should prove to be a great show for the fans and we hope to be there at the end to share in this the 50^th anniversary of the 24 Hours!”

The 2012 ROLEX 24 Hours at Daytona will start a 3:30 pm est.  The race will be televised live on SPEED TV.  The Rolex 24 live broadcast kicks off with a one-hour pre-race show at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on Saturday, Jan. 28, and continues with the opening seven-and-a-half hours of the race, from 3:30-11 p.m. A new component will then enhance the Rolex 24 coverage. SPEED.com will cover the night action with a camera located atop the grandstand, several stationary cameras, a running leaderboard and audio commentary. SPEED television coverage resumes at 9 a.m. on Sunday, Jan. 29, running through 4 p.m. – including 30 minutes of interviews following the checkered flag.

The 2012 Team Sahlen campaign in the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series is supported by Mazda, Mazdaspeed, Cool Shirt, Racing Print Media, Mothers Polish, TheRaceSite.com, Western New York Flash, Grassroots Motorsports, ASC Industries, Iannetti  Design Ideas, CM Racing, Quarter Master, MSI Racing Products